


I Believe In Something

by Georgie04



Category: Ackley Bridge (TV)
Genre: Apologies, Cory is insecure, Cory is lonely, Deep Conversations, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Set after the finale, they’re so soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-01 18:26:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15779613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Georgie04/pseuds/Georgie04
Summary: Jordan is gone and there’s only one other person that feels like home.





	I Believe In Something

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me how to be in this world,  
> Tell me how to breathe in and feel no hurt,  
> Tell me how cause’ I believe in something,  
> I believe in us. 
> 
> \- Us, James Bay.

Jordan was gone. He’d finally got his brother back after months, and then he had left again. That was the only thing that Cory was certain of at that point in time. And he was proud, god he was _so_ proud, but he was terrified as well. Because his dad, although he was trying, was still his dad. His meds kept him calm and sedated, but Cory was so afraid that beneath all the medication was still this cruel, unpredictable man. And when it was the two of them it was manageable, they could handle it, but on his own? Cory wasn’t sure he could cope. 

He stood and watched as Mr Bell drove Jordan away. He’d chased after him on his bike to say goodbye, because how could he not? Jordan was his little brother and he’d let him down so many times already, there was no way he was going to do it again. So he held him close and told him to never come back, because everyone knows that Ackley holds people hostage, never lets them be who they are or who they could be, and he didn’t want that for his little brother. He knew Jordan had a real chance of becoming something more than everyone had expected of him, so he would have been the selfish one if he’d made him stay. 

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t hurting or jealous, because he was. He was hurting because his brother was gone and he was on his own now, and he was jealous because he knew that would _never_ be him - he knew he would never get out of Ackley and he’d end up just like his dad. That was the scariest thing of all, the idea that he’d become a mirror image of the man who had ruined him so entirely. 

He felt so _alone._

Not wanting to go back to his house, to his dad, Cory started to walk. He left his bike propped up against his garden wall, trying to avoid his dad seeing him through the living room window, and then rushed off. 

He had nowhere in mind, he just needed space, needed time to escape. The house with his dad in it felt even more suffocating than it did when it was empty. At least when he was alone there he was safe, he didn’t have to worry about saying or doing the wrong thing. But being around his dad was like walking on egg shells, and he needed to find solid ground for a bit. 

He had spaced out as he walked, not paying attention to street names or familiar places, just moving with his head down like maybe if he couldn’t see the world, the world couldn’t see him either. 

When he finally stopped to gather his surroundings, he realised he was in a place that he had become very familiar with. Naveed’s house stood in front of him, and it was as if just _seeing_ the place made him calm down, even if only a little. He felt more at ease in Naveed’s house than he ever had in his own, there was no reason for him to flinch at every noise he heard when he was there. 

He and Naveed were friends again, and between prom and results day Cory, Riz, and Nav had spent many days together, chilling at Naveed’s or out playing footie or down at the rec centre. But despite all of those days, Cory and Naveed hadn’t actually been _alone_ together since the few days following The Incident. Cory was glad of it, he was, because it was so much easier to pretend when he wasn’t alone with Naveed. Because when they were alone Cory would feel things, want things that he couldn’t have. And that was just too hard. 

But, without even realising, Cory had ended up outside Naveed’s house. And he knew why. He had naturally made his way to the one person who made him feel less alone, who saw him as more than what he had always been made out to be, who made him feel like maybe he wasn’t so worthless after all. 

God, everything was just so messy and scary - Jordan was gone, his dad was back, everything was wrong - but the second the door opened and he saw Naveed standing there all soft and warm, wearing a sweater that was so big it covered his hands, suddenly everything seemed less scary. Suddenly he could breathe again. 

A smile spread across Naveed’s face when he saw Cory, and Cory wanted to smile back, to say something funny, but instead he crumbled. Naveed made him feel safe, like being vulnerable in front of him was okay, so he let the tears fall from his eyes, unable to help the heaving breaths that wracked his body. And Naveed almost broke too, because seeing Cory like that, so unguarded, was _devastating._

“He’s gone,” Cory choked out through the tears, “Jordan’s gone.”

Naveed didn’t hesitate. He stepped across the threshold and pulled the trembling boy into his arms, holding him as tight as he could and letting his hand brush through his hair to comfort him, just like Cory had done for Nav when his parents found out he was gay. 

“Come on Cory, let’s go inside.”

“What about your mum and dad?” Cory asked, not wanting to make a fool out of himself in front of anyone else. 

Naveed shook his head, “They’re at my grandparents for a week, come inside.”

So Cory did. He let Naveed, with one arm still wrapped firmly around him, guide him inside and up the stairs. And suddenly he was safe, he was home in Naveed’s room, sitting on his bed with Nav sat facing him, rubbing his back until he calmed down enough to speak. 

“I’m so sorry I came here, I just really needed to see you.”

And it was true. He might not have realised as he was doing it, but Naveed was just what he needed, and subconsciously Cory knew that, which was exactly why he ended up outside his house, even though he could have walked anywhere in Ackley. 

“Don’t be sorry, I’m glad you came to me,” Naveed said, as gentle as ever. 

“He’s gone to that art college, and I’m proud of him, I really am, but now I’m on my own.”

“You’re not,” Naveed replied instantly, “you’re not on your own, okay? You’ve got Riz and your friends, _you’ve got me._ ”

Cory shook his head and leaned forwards, away from Naveed’s comforting touch. Because he couldn’t say things like that, Cory couldn’t _hear_ things like that, even though he wanted to so bad it hurt. 

“Cory,” Naveed started but trailed off, unsure of what he could say to offer comfort. 

“Everything is such a fucking mess, Nav,” Cory laughed bitterly, “ _I’m_ a fucking mess.”

“You’re not a mess Cory. Things are tough right now, I get that, but things will be okay.”

“How? How are they gonna be okay when I’m gonna spend my life stuck in this shithole being this fake version of myself as I watch everyone else leave this place behind?” Cory vented.

He was frustrated that Naveed couldn’t see how stuck he was. It was different for him, his parents had money, he was smart, he could go to uni and escape, get a job and a husband and a life far away from Ackley, but Cory would never have that. He didn’t have the money or the brains he’d need to get away, he’d be stuck taking care of his dad for the rest of his life, sleeping with girls he didn’t care about as a way to feel something, _anything._

“You’re not stuck here, you’re _Cory Wilson_! You can do anything, you just have to believe in yourself as much as I believe in you.”

And just like that, all of Cory’s anger dissipated. Because he’d never had that before, someone believing in him, so how could he be mad at the one person that did? Especially when that person was Naveed, with his soft brown eyes and his intoxicating smile. 

He dropped his head into his hands with a groan, which quickly turned into a sigh when he felt Naveed’s hand on his back again. He wanted nothing more than to just turn and crawl into Nav’s arms, kiss him again like they had that time in Cory’s bedroom when no one but them existed. But it was too late for that. Cory had hurt Naveed too much to ever come back from. 

He started to cry again. He wasn’t sure why this time, maybe Jordan, maybe his dad, maybe Naveed, probably all three. And Naveed, not being able to stand another second of seeing Cory hurting so bad, pulled Cory into his arms, refusing to let go even when Cory tried to pull away. It was the one thing he needed, to feel like he mattered and wasn’t alone, and the fact that it was Naveed making him feel that made everything somehow better and worse at the same time. But, so tired of fighting, he just collapsed into Naveed’s arms and let him hold him until the tears finally dried up. 

“I’m sorry,” Cory apologised, maybe twenty minutes later when he’d learned how to breathe properly again. 

“Stop apologising,” Naveed replied, his breath tickling Cory’s neck. 

“Not just about the crying.”

“Cory,” Naveed said, pulling away so he could look him in the eye. 

“No, please let me talk?” Cory asked, and when Naveed nodded he continued. “I fucked up _so bad_ , I never wanted to hurt you, I promise I wasn’t using you or anything like that, it really was genuine.”

Cory stopped, looking down at his hand and picking at the skin on his thumb. He didn’t know what to say, couldn’t find the words or maybe was just too scared to actually say them. 

“I know Cory, I know you were just scared.”

And that, that was something Cory hadn’t heard before. He lifted his head to look at Nav so quickly that his neck cracked painfully, but he didn’t care, nothing but Naveed mattered. 

“What?” Cory whispered. 

“It was scary for you. It was your first time with a guy, first time _wanting_ a guy, and you panicked. Didn’t help that it was me, the one person that you actually _talk to_ about your problems, because the one thing you really needed to talk about, you couldn’t with me.”

Every single day Cory fell harder for Naveed. Sometimes it was something he said, some hilarious joke at one of his shows, or something so kind he couldn’t believe he was friends with him. And sometimes it was something he did, like buying a kid something from the ice cream van because all his friends were getting one and he didn’t have any money. But in that moment it was the way he looked at him, like he had seen and understood every broken part of Cory, but he still loved him anyway. Because he _had_ seen every messy, ugly piece of Cory - he’d seen him crying over Jordan, he’d seen him break Riz’s neck, seen him in the soft glow of his bedside lamp as they explored each other’s bodies, then seen him with someone else the day after - and he was still here, still holding Cory in his arms and loving him unconditionally. 

“I think I’m in love with you,” Cory murmured, so softly Naveed wasn’t sure he’d heard him right. 

“What did you say?” Nav asked breathlessly, unable to believe he’d really just heard those words. 

“No, that’s not true,” Cory shook his head and Naveed felt his heart fall, “I’m _definitely_ in love with you.”

Cory was so tired of pretending he didn’t feel like this, so tired of fighting it, for what? To keep up his image? To impress his dad? Neither of those things mattered anymore, all that mattered was Naveed, and himself, and them together. 

“A-are you serious?” Nav asked hesitantly. 

The grin that spread across Cory’s face was surely enough of an answer, but Cory decided to make it even clearer, so he leant forward slowly, giving Naveed enough to stop him. But when he didn’t, when he leaned closer instead, Cory let his hand slip around the back of Nav’s neck and pressed their lips together. It wasn’t hesitant like the kiss in the changing room, and it wasn’t heated like the kisses they’d shared that night, it was just soft and gentle, and everything both of them needed. 

“Cory are you sure?” Naveed whispered, their lips still touching lightly. 

“I’m sure. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Naveed had barely got the words out of his mouth before Cory’s lips were pressed firmly to his once again. He gently put his hand on Nav’s shoulder, pushing him backwards so he was lay down, Cory hovering over him. Cory almost melted at the sound Naveed made as he brushed his fingertips against the soft skin of his hips. 

* * 

“I can’t believe this,” Naveed said, as Cory was lay curled up against his bare chest. 

“Get used to it,” Cory mumbled sleepily. 

“You’re not gonna freak out again are you?”

“Not a chance.”

Naveed let his eyes fall shut. Holding Cory next to him, their chests pressed tightly together and Cory’s face snuggled into the crook of his neck, was as close to perfect as Naveed could ever imagine getting.


End file.
